King's School Rochester Boarding Prospectus

BOARDING

Welcome to
BOARDING AT KING’S
King’s School Rochester is the oldest choir school and the second oldest school in the world.
The School is nestled in the Cathedral precinct of historic Rochester and in the shadow of
Rochester castle which boasts one of the finest Norman keeps in the country. King’s is truly a
school with a strong historical tradition and a clear vision of education for the 21st century.
The last fifty years have seen the School grow in both size and stature and there are currently
around 680 pupils from ages 3–18 on the school roll, with approximately 60 pupils per year
group.
With a rich and diverse heritage, our pupils have been educated for over 1,400 years under
the watchful gaze of Rochester Cathedral and Rochester Castle. A stone’s throw from the
beating heart of London, inhabitants of Rochester enjoy rolling countryside hills in one
direction, and beautiful seaside in the other.
Nearby travel links include airports London Gatwick (LGW) 50 minutes, London Heathrow
(LHR) 80 minutes and London Stansted (STN) 80 minutes. We also have excellent train links
to London St Pancras International (STP) 36 minutes and London Victoria (VIC) 43 minutes.
As well as links to mainland France via Eurotunnel (34 minutes) and P&O Ferries (95 minutes).
There are also international links via Eurostar to France, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany
which leave from London St Pancras International.

BOARDING HOUSES
Overview
King’s has two boarding houses – St. Margaret’s for girls and School House for boys. We accept
boarders from age 11 and there are 55 beds in total. King’s offers a flexible boarding arrangement,
with the option to choose from one (or more) nights’ boarding, weekly boarding or termly
boarding – the choice is yours! Pupils are always made to feel welcome and at home, no matter
how long they are staying for.
There is no exeat required at weekends and we don’t hold a Saturday school – boarding pupils
have the freedom to choose how they wish to spend their downtime. That being said, there is
always something fun on the calendar for the weekends! Trips to see shows in London, museums
and theme parks, to name a few.
ST MARGARET’S HOUSE
St. Margaret’s House is our girls boarding house and is a beautiful,
late 18th-century house purchased in 1925 that underwent
substantial refurbishment in 2005, including the addition of 12
en-suite bedrooms. Now, the house continues to feel like a home
with some original features still hiding in plain sight and there are
always staff at hand to help with any needs or questions.
SCHOOL HOUSE
School House was completed in 1880 at a cost to the School
of £5,535 (over half a million today!) for the Headmaster and
boarders. At the time of building, it was specifically described as
the “Headmaster’s House”.
It has remained a boarding house and underwent extensive
refurbishment over recent years to brighten the dining room and
shared space. Boys are welcome to make the space feel their
own and there are always staff at hand to help with any needs or
questions.

INDUCTION WEEK & ACTIVITIES
DAILY ROUTINE
We take the time to settle you into boarding life at King’s by providing a full week’s worth of
introductory activities before the school term commences. This allows our pupils to ‘find their
feet’ and settle in so that they can come home to a comfortable environment after a day at
school.
Our comprehensive induction process for new boarders at King’s School Rochester begins with
a warm welcome upon arrival, followed by a school tour led by tutors and house prefects. For
starters joining in the Michaelmas term (September), parents/guardians are invited to join their
children for a delightful English afternoon tea in St. Margaret’s garden, after which they will be
given a guided tour of the school campus. The day concludes with a BBQ dinner and evening
activities, allowing new boarders to bond with their peers and settle into their new environment.
Prep. School
07:30 Breakfast
08:10 Registration and announcements
16:15 School ends
18:30 Dinner
20:00 Shower and get ready for bed
21:00 Lights out
Senior School
07:30 Breakfast
08:10 Registration and announcements
16:15 School ends
18:30 Dinner
21:30 Remove lights out
22:00 L5 and U5 lights out
22:30 L6 and U6 lights out
TESTIMONIALS
Several of our boarders are with us for many years and during their time at King’s they are privilege
to extra academic support within the house as well as additional tutorial time with subject teachers
where necessary. We provide a supportive and caring environment for our boarders, here’s what some
of them have to say about us:
Zibo from China “The King’s boarding house is fun, calm and happy. There is always a teacher
waiting if you have any questions.”
ACTIVITIES
Weekend activities are in abundance at King’s, with a vibrant calendar that can include:
Anna from Germany “Living in the boarding house at King’s is like being part of a big family.
Everyone is supportive and there’s always someone there to help or laugh with, making it a home
away from home.”
Nicholas from South Africa “Living at King’s has made me a more mindful person, as well as giving
me brothers that I never had. Being part of a boarding family gives you responsibility and helps to
make you more independent and thoughtful.”
• Bluewater Shopping and Dinner
• Brighton Adventure
• British Museum
• Broadstairs Beach Trip
• Canterbury
• Chatham Dockside
• Covent Garden Christmas Shopping
• Gravesend Escape Room
• Greenwich Park and Market
• Harry Potter World
• Ice-Skate and Shop London
• London Culture
• London Open-Top Bus Tour
• Pottery Painting Trip
• Putt Shack
• Science Museum
• Thorpe Park
• West End Pantomime
• West End Musical Show
Fran from England “I boarded at King’s throughout my mocks and GCSEs period and enjoyed it
immensely. The boarding staff and boarders made me feel so welcome and I felt as though I fitted
in immediately. Despite initially being anxious about staying away from home for an extended
period of time the boarding house quickly became a second home to me and I became part of the
boarding family. The boarding staff are always on hand to help with revision as well as support
during stressful times.”
To register your child for a boarding place at King’s School Rochester,
please contact Sue Webb or a member of our Admissions team at
admissions@kings-rochester.co.uk or call +44 (0) 1634 888590.
We look forward to hearing from you.

www.kings-rochester.co.uk/life-at-ksr/boarding
@ksr_boarding